Malindi: The national government and county leaders have agreed on urgent and long-term measures to tackle Kenya's worsening drought, including reprogramming key World Bank-funded agriculture projects to prioritise immediate relief. Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe emphasized that the drought response will be treated as an all-of-government effort, addressing livestock, crops, and human livelihoods as one interconnected system.
According to Kenya News Agency, Kagwe spoke at a Malindi hotel following a high-level meeting with the Council of Governors (CoG) Agriculture Committee and the ASAL Governors Caucus. He highlighted the leaders' consensus on the need to respond to current realities while establishing permanent solutions to avert future crises. The two-day discussions focused on the Food Systems Resilience Programme (FSRP) and the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP), with FSRP being implemented in 13 drought-stricken counties and NAVCDP covering the remaining 34.
Kagwe stated, "We sit at a critical point where we must reprogramme these two programmes to respond to the current drought reality, while also putting in place permanent solutions to avert future crises." He also noted that modern technology is transforming previously unproductive areas into potential food producers, suggesting that regions should no longer be defined solely by rainfall.
The leaders agreed on the necessity for Kenya to reduce reliance on rain-fed agriculture by scaling up irrigation, feedlots, fodder reserves, and storage facilities to cushion farmers during climate shocks. Livestock disease control was also identified as a priority, with a renewed commitment to tackling Foot and Mouth Disease and advancing Kenya's goal of becoming a tsetse-fly-free country to boost productivity and exports.
Kagwe mentioned that the Kenya Agricultural Digital Integration Centre (KADIC) will play a central role in modernising the sector. It will link counties through digital platforms on soil data, pest control, animal identification, and vaccination records to improve productivity, traceability, and access to international markets. Youth inclusion was strongly emphasised, with Kagwe urging the deliberate integration of young people into both FSRP and NAVCDP, stating that young people must view agriculture as modern, profitable, and appealing, particularly in value addition.
Governors present noted several counties had begun experiencing livestock losses due to prolonged drought, underscoring the need for swift action. CoG Agriculture Committee Chairman and Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka expressed that counties will play a central role in planning and implementation moving forward, noting that donor-funded programmes must be jointly designed at national and county levels. ASAL Governors Chair and Garissa Governor Nathif Jama supported CS Kagwe's remarks, emphasizing the need for programmes to recognize the unique characteristics of counties with dual climates and mixed livelihoods, cautioning against rigid classifications that limit opportunity. Also present were Baringo Governor Benjamin Cheboi and senior Ministry of Agriculture, FSRP and NAVCDP officials, among others.